Fireworks



Aug. 15, 1933. L. DRIGGS, JR 1,922,081

FIREwoRKs Filed Nov. 27, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l LOU/S L. DR/GGS J?. BY Mr ATTORNEYS Aug. 15, 1933. L DRIGGs, JR 1,922,08l

FIREWORKS Filed Nov. 27, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll Il Il l ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. l5, 1933 Viefeaesi a iszfztsi I rranwoansi Myinvention relates to fireworks. It is theobject of myvinvention to provide a fireworksarticle of manufacture which can V be d gf.` as a'complete unit.

completely assembled at the factory and .shipped It `ismy object to provide a vfireworks display article which will-entertain'by first having the explosion onthe ground in the course of firing a projectile into'ftheV air;` second, as the projectile rises in the air, it will discharge a fireworks dis- .play until thetime fuse inthe .projectile ignites the Vcontents of the prcjectilesuch as star shells, whereupon the contents of the projectilewill vbe blown out,.making the iinal ireworks display from 100 to 200 feet in the air where it will not be dan- Y gerous and its Viull beauty can'be seen. f

In a fireworks article such as this there are several essentialrequirements which'this inventionfulfills thatare new incombination in this Vart with the i type of construction as indicated herein: f f' First, the construction is completely. assembled at thefactory so that the user cannot modify the vconstruction or make it dangerous, f Y

ySecond; only a single shell is used in a single mortar, thereby avoiding premature explosion of shells or projectiles which are aired from the same mortar in succession..V M 1 j Third", the projectile-,itself serves as the cover forthe lifting or elevating charge. Y, QFourtlfi, the projectile completely` closes theiny Y terior of the mortar so that .the fullk effect ofthe gases will be had upon thek base ef the projectile and willelevate` the projectile uniformly-when usingV a uniform charge'of powder scthatuniformity of results can be secured and there Vwill be no v'jamming of the projectile in the mortar;

Y Fifth, the `fuse with which they explosions are initiated extends through thebottom side wall of the mortar so that the person operatingthe mor- Vtar neednot placehimself over the top of the mortar,l so that` this fireworks is entirely safe for a 1 child to'operate."

y play from'the ground until it gets to the maxi-- Sixth, the projectile provides a'continuous dismumheight.l Y r. d

Seventh, the pyrotechnic material "which is burning Aduring the iiight of the projectile cannot get.. around the plug holding `the .time fuse and `prenflaturely igniter the contents of the projectile, as a guard, such as ametal cap, is provided to prevent such iire` leakage, or vapressed clayplug. Eighth, the retainingj'plug carrying the time fuse Vis completely blown outfso that an Veven discharge of Vthe contents of the projectile is made.

nettime. (c1, reza-fai) Y lNinth, the projectile Vis usually'blown'to pieces so that only harmless fragments fall.

'Referringto the drawings, Figure 1' is a side elevation ofthe mortar..

Figure 2 isa section through the' mortarv and projectile;

- Figure 3 'is' a 'section through kthe projectile after the; pyrotechnicY display the mortar or' projectilefhas been substantially completely fired and the time fuse is nearly cornpletelyconSumed.

VFigureV 4 indicates the form of the projectile after its contents have been bl'ownlfout.Y K

Figure" 5 shows the plug in section', whichcould belof Wood or clay, o'r other.material.`

I I'Figure 6 shows thesafety cap in section.

Figure '7 is atop plane viewof the mortar with the shell in place. l i f .Figure 8V isla section through the projectileV showing` the discharge kof the .starsv Yat the., top of the flight of the projectile in the form in which the projectile is not rur'ituredfV '.Figure 9 is a "section through the mortar and projectile vbefore. firing. showing the `form using thepressed clay head tothe projectilelin'stead of 8O the wooden plug and metalcap. .'FigurelOis a diagrammatic view showing the projectile in flight with the`pyrotechnicfdisplay burning atits base during the flight and showing its final position inwhich the entire .projectile is ruptured and the pyrotechnic stars" are driven in all"directions. Y .Y Figure 11 isla bottom plan .view ofthe jectile with the clay plug. d Referring to; the drawings in detail, 1 .is'jthe base of the-mortar having the mortar The base may be of .wood and the mortar'can beof cardboard, although any suitable materials may be employed if 4they are light and cheap as they are to be used for a purelyflreworks item. d

The mortar tube 2 is countersunk as at 3 Within the base 1. VWithin the int'eriorfof the mortaris placed a lifting charge 4 which is ignitedV by the fuse15 extending through'the side Wall of the mortar 2 atthe bottom thereof.Y v The projectile comprises-a cardboard casingA 6 bro- ` having a metallic end closure 7 at the top." The projectile is filled with any pyrotechnic material such as stars 8, powderg` and pieces of quick match 10. The fuse plug of Woodorclay or other suitable material designated Y11 isthen inserted Within the open mouth of the projectile 6 so that the shoulder 12 vof the plug engages-the end 13 of theside wall of the projectile.v This Yplaces the overhanging sidewall 14 `or" the plug in substantial ,alignment withv theoutside side wall 6 of the projectile. The interior of the plug is provided with a pyrotechnic display chamber 15 j' and a time fusepassageway 16. The pyrotechnic display chamber is filled with a pyrotechnic display which burns on the flight of the projectile upwardly, such display being designated 17.

Over' this end of the projectile-and the fuse plug is vmounted a metallic cap 18 which has its side walls pressed into the cardboard side walls 6 of the projectile to form a tight seal with it so it is impossible for re to creep between the plug l1 and the side wall 6 to prematurely ignite the contents of the projectile# It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as lmay be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses.` f

It will be further understoodthat my mortar takes the place ofA rockets, which are dangerous becauseof the falling of the stick, whereasthe projectile casing of my .invention is so very light that even ifl it should fall and strike anyone, it would not Yinjure them. Y Y r My,v projectile has all the 'advantages of a rocketas the projectile has a'continuous illuminated discharge, duringits flight, terminating in aburst of stars. f

Y In Figure 8 isshown 'oneriorm of discharge,v -f thatis, through the endgof the projectile when 30 it is desiredto concentrate Ythe discharge in a stream, whileFigure 1 0 shows theform in which the projectile is completely ruptured andthe stars areblownfinalldirections to make a grand-dis- In Figures 9 and 11 there'isshofwn almodification ofthe projectile Vin which a clay base 11 is employed inthe place of the wooden plug and fthe metal cover.y The clay is pressedin under i heavy pressure so 'that it'can be with diliiculty blown out. It preventsfany leakageof re between the clay and projectile side wall 6 and upon the explosion' of the powder9, the side walls of the projectile will be ruptured. Either construction Vmay be "employed without departing from the sense o f my invention.

`vI-Iavingthus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:`

' 1. In combination, a mortar, a lifting charge in thebase thereof, a'fuse extendingV from the eX- terior of the mortar into the interior thereof vin saidflifting charge, a projectile resting, en said lifting charge fitting within said'mortar, a fuse plug inthe liircgjeztile having a display. chamber and a'passageway,1 a'time fuse `in said passageway ignited by the lifting charge, a display material inthe chamber,.and pyrotechnic l'contents inthe p`rc`njecztil-e.y Y f 0- In combination, a mortar,v` arlifting charge inthe basethereon a' fuse extending from the exterior ofthe mortar into the interior thereof in said liftingcharge, a projectile resting'on said lifting charge ttingwithin said mortar, a time fuse in s aid projectile ignited by the lifting charge, and

pyrotechnicjjcontents in the projectile, andsupp lementa'ryrlpyrotechnic contents interposed between Isaid time fusey and the] lifting charge adapted'to be i'iredas vthe projectile proceeds on its flight frofmthe mort-ar.

3. In combination V in a shell for firing from a mortarfor iireworksdisplay, a projectile casing having'aniopen bottom anda side wall, a fuse plug mountedI inv the bottom, a time fuse and a display material inrsaidplug', anda sealing means v enclosingl said .plug and one end of said projectile.

4. Ina projectile for use in a fireworks mortar comprising a side wall and a closed end, a detachable plug adapted to be blown out by the contents ofthe projectile, having a shoulder thereon for engaging the end of the side wall of the projectile, said plug having a time fuse passageway and a pyrotechnic containing chamber therein.

l 5. In a projectile for use in a reworks mortar comprising a side Wall and a closed end, a detachable plug adapted to be blown out bythe contents of the projectile, having` a shoulder thereon 'for-engaging the end of the side wall of the protechnic chamber in the plug.

6. In combination, a projectile comprising a side wall, a permanent end wall, a detachable end wall comprising a chambered plug having a reduced part tting in'the side wall and a part in 'line with the outer surface of the side wall adapted to be blown out by the contents of the projectile, and a metallic safety cup having an aperture 4coinciding with the chamber in the plug and adapted to overlap the exposed end of the plug and the adjacent end of the projectile.

7. In a iireworksdisplay apparatus, amortar, a lifting charge, a fuse therein extending through the side wall of the mortar, a projectile having a plug in the mortar, said projectile having pyrotechnic contents, said plug having a chamber and passageway for pyrotechnic material 'and a time fuse, and pyrotechnic material and a time fuse therein. v l

j8. vIn a fireworks display apparatus, a'mortar, a liftingl charge, a fuse therein extending through the side wall of the mortar, a projectile having a plug in the mortar, said projectile having pyrotechnic contents, said plug havinga chamber and passageway for pyrotechnic material and a time fuse, and pyrotechnic material and a time fuse therein, said time fuse passageway being of restricted diameter as compared with the projectile chamber in the plug. 9. In combination, a mortana projectile having in one end a plug with a chamber therein, means of ring the projectile from the mortar, and means in the chamber for delivering a continuous pyrotechnic display during the projectile flight and means at the end of the flight of providing a grand pyrotechnic display upon the discharge of the projectile contents. Y

10. -In combination, amortar, a projectile having in one end a plug with a chamber therein, meansV ofring the projectile and of igniting the contents of the chamber, means in the projectile for providing a support for a pyrotechnic display duringV the flight of the projectile and additional py'rotechnic means in the projectile ignited by the last mentioned means at the end of the flight of the projectile for the discharge of the nal IDS ing a side wall'that can be ruptured by an explosion, a pressed clay cup closing one end vthereof containing a time fuse and a pyrotechnic material, andapyrotechnic contents within said projectile adapted to be red by said time fuse. f

v LOUIS L. DRIGGS, JR. 

